1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the general art of measuring instruments, and to the particular field of levels and squares.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
The building and construction industry has undergone a significant growth in recent years. Many of the new structures being erected include conduits, pipes and the like. The conduits and pipes can carry fluids, liquids or even house electrical wiring or the like. These conduits often make a plurality of turns in the building to accommodate the needs of the building. As is well known in the building industry, these turns generally include some sort of elbow or 90xc2x0 turn in the conduit.
As is also well known in the building industry, many building structures are located around such conduits. Such structures may create problems in properly locating all portions of a conduit. In the past, this has required a tradesman to carefully measure the conduit and the turns therein and then translate those measurements into marks and guides for completion of the conduit. This will be referred to in this disclosure as xe2x80x9csquaring aroundxe2x80x9d the elbow or other turn in a conduit or pipe or other such structure. It is noted that while this disclosure refers to conduits, pipes and the like, based on the teaching of the present disclosure. Those skilled in the art will understand other applications for the device disclosed herein, and such other applications are intended to be covered as well in the scope of the present disclosure. To emphasize the variety of objects that can be included, this disclosure will sometimes refer to xe2x80x9cobstaclesxe2x80x9d so as not to be restricted to pipes, conduits and the like.
Therefore, there is a need for a measuring instrument that can accurately and efficiently square around an obstacle, including an obstacle having a 90xc2x0 turn therein.
In the past, many of the measurements associated with erecting conduits and pipes and the like that have one or more angled turns therein have been made using rulers, calculations and marking instruments. While effective, this process has several drawbacks. For example, the process requires a tradesman to measure distances in sometimes difficult lighting and difficult locations, and then translate those distances into data that can be used for the particular job being performed. This may be difficult and onerous, especially if the job is being carried out in difficult conditions. Still further, this requires a tradesman to make calculations, which may introduce errors in the overall job. Still further, the prior method of measuring and marking such jobs is not as efficient as it could be if such measuring and marking were performed in a manner that is more efficient and accurate than is presently available.
Therefore, there is a need for a measuring instrument that can accurately and efficiently square around an obstacle without requiring the use of a ruler.
Still further, many conduits or other such obstacles require a conduit to be located such that building elements are located on the inside of the radius of curvature while other obstacles require building elements to be located on the outside of the radius of curvature. This variation may introduce problems of measurement, calculation and marking that may reduce accuracy as well as efficiency of a building job.
Therefore, there is a need for a measuring instrument that can be used to accurately and efficiently measure and mark a job on either the inside of a radius of curvature of an obstacle or on the outside of the radius of curvature of an obstacle.
It is a main object of the present invention to provide a measuring instrument that can accurately and efficiently square around an pipe or conduit or the like.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a measuring instrument that can accurately and efficiently square around an obstacle having a 90xc2x0 turn therein.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a measuring instrument that can accurately and efficiently square around a pipe elbow location.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a measuring instrument that can accurately and efficiently square around a conduit elbow location.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a measuring instrument that can accurately and efficiently square around a structural steel elbow location.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a measuring instrument that can accurately and efficiently square around an obstacle without requiring the use of a ruler.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a measuring instrument that can be used to accurately and efficiently measure and mark a building job on either the inside of a radius of curvature of an obstacle or on the outside of the radius of curvature of an obstacle.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a measuring instrument that permits a pipefitter to accurately fit a flange or a 90xc2x0 elbow to a pipe without the use of a ruler to measure to the side of the pipe to square it.
These, and other, objects are achieved by a measuring device for installing pipes and conduits having an elbow portion thereof and which comprises two obstacles, such as pipes or conduits or the like oriented at an angle with respect to each other, an L-shaped framing square having two legs and an alignment bracket movably mounted on one leg of the framing square and including an obstacle-engaging channel on one end of the alignment bracket which engages a portion of one obstacle of the two obstacles with a second leg of the framing square located near a second obstacle of the two obstacles. In one form of the invention, the obstacles are oriented at an angle of 90xc2x0 with respect to each other.
The measuring instrument embodying the present invention permits a tradesman to accurately and efficiently square around to fit a flange or a 90xc2x0 turn to a conduit without the use of a ruler. The conduit need not be measured in multiple locations and thus efficiency and accuracy are both increased over the prior art methods. Further, it does not matter whether the measurements are made on the inside of a radius of curvature or on the outside of a radius of curvature. Using the measuring instrument of the present invention completely eliminates the need for a ruler and the need to measure a pipe at two places on the side to square it. The framing square of the device of the present invention fits around the radius of an elbow and the device is used to square around a flange to its face.